US Vice President Mr Dick Cheney gained valuable Arab support today for the US campaign against Iraq with Egyptian President Mr Hosni Mubarak saying Egypt would push Iraq to accept international arms inspectors.
"We'll try hard with Saddam Hussein to accept the UN inspectors to go there," Mr Mubarak said at a joint news conference with Mr Cheney.
Asked whether Iraqi President Mr Saddam should be toppled if he did not admit inspectors, Mr Mubarak said: "If there is nothing happening, we'll find out what could be done in that direction."
Mr Cheney is on tour of 11 Middle East states seeking support for the US-led war on terrorism and its goal of keeping weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of the Iraqi President.
But the trip has been overshadowed by the toughest Israeli military offensive in decades, which has moved the issue high up on the agenda for Mr Cheney's talks with Middle East leaders.
Mr Cheney said today Israel and the Palestinians both shared responsibility for ending the violence. This comes after months of US focus on Palestinian leader Mr Arafat.
A senior US official on the trip indicated an impatience with Israel, despite US support for the country, and said the prospects for an early resumption of peace negotiations were now remote.
Mr Mubarak last week urged the US President to take a more active role trying to broker an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire, but said today he appreciated Mr Bush's decision to send special envoy Mr Anthony Zinni to the region, as well as Mr Cheney's efforts.
Mr Zinni will arrive tomorrow, and Mr Cheney said they would meet next week in Israel to compare notes.
In his appearance with Mubarak, Mr Cheney said, the United States will do all it can to end the tragic violence between Palestinians and Israelis and to resume a serious negotiating process.